Electromagnetic machine with independent removable coils, modular parts and self-sustained passive magnetic bearing

Abstract

A rotating electromagnetic machine has a tubular axle with mounting rings, a common ring, a coil input ring, and at least one bearing set mounted on it. A fitting is secured at a distal end of the tubular axle, and a commutator is secured at the proximal end. A housing is mounted on the bearing sets through adaptors. Connecting bars extend axially within the axle with lateral rods joined to the connecting bars at their distal ends, the bars commuting between segments of the commutator electromagnetic coils. A plurality of the electromagnetic coils are secured to the coil input ring. The coils are formed of spiral turns of a single flat strip electrically conductive material. A plurality of peripheral and sector magnets are mounted adjacent to the electromagnetic coils with electromagnetic interaction when relative motion occurs between the coils and the magnets.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A rotating electromagnetic machine comprising:
 a tubular axle defining a distal and a proximal ends thereof, and mounted medially thereon, a pair of mounting rings, a common ring, a coil input ring, and at least one bearing set; a fitting is secured at the distal end of the tubular axle, and a commutator is secured at the proximal end of the tubular axle;   a housing mounted on the bearing sets through adaptors; the common ring constructed in two pieces and independently removable from axle,   connecting bars extending axially within axle; lateral rods joined to connecting bars at distal end thereof, the lateral rods commuting between bars and segments of commutator with distal ends joined with lateral plates;   a plurality of electromagnetic coils secured to the mounting rings, the coils formed of spiral turns of a single flat strip electrically conductive material; and   a plurality of peripheral and sector magnets mounted adjacent to the electromagnetic coils.   
     
     
       2. The rotating electromagnetic machine of  claim 1  assembled with a modular construction with coil housings of a ferromagnetic material separated into a plurality of magnetically isolated segments in mutual electrical continuity, whereby hysteresis is minimized. 
     
     
       3. The rotating electromagnetic machine of  claim 1  wherein each of the peripheral and sector magnets has edges cut in a shape that enables a continuous magnetic pole face and avoids an alternating magnetic end effect at opposing ends of the magnet, whereby, induced eddy currents of the ferromagnetic segments are returned to the electrical circuit thereof. 
     
     
       4. A rotating electromagnetic machine comprising:
 an axle;   a plurality of coil housings spaced about and coupled to the axle, each of the plurality of coil housings including ferromagnetic material;   a plurality of electromagnetic coils, each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils being disposed in a respective one of the plurality of coil housings; and   a plurality of magnet sets, each of the plurality of magnet sets being disposed adjacent to a respective one of the plurality of electromagnetic coils, each of the plurality of magnet sets having a first sector magnet, a second sector magnet, and a peripheral magnet, each sector magnet of each of the plurality of magnet sets having a front surface facing toward the respective one of the plurality of electromagnetic coils, the peripheral magnet of each of the plurality of magnet sets having (i) a front surface facing toward the respective one of the plurality of electromagnetic coils and perpendicular to the front surface of each sector magnet, (ii) first and second end surfaces, each end surface facing parallel to and opposed to the front surface of one of the sector magnets, and (iii) first and second angled surfaces, each angled surface positioned between and at an angle relative to the front surface and one of the opposing end surfaces, the first sector magnet and the second sector magnet being disposed in mutually opposing and facing positions, the peripheral magnet being positioned orthogonal to both the first sector magnet and the second sector magnet,   wherein each of the plurality of coil housings is disposed between a respective one of the plurality of electromagnetic coils and a respective one of the plurality of magnet sets, and   wherein a first wedge-shaped portion of each of the plurality of coil housings extends between (i) the front surface of the first sector magnet of the respective one of the plurality of magnet sets, and (ii) the first angled surface of the peripheral magnet, and   wherein a second wedge-shaped portion of each of the plurality of coil housings extends between (i) the front surface of the second sector magnet of the respective one of the plurality of magnet sets, and (ii) the first angled surface of the peripheral magnet.   
     
     
       5. The machine of claim 4, wherein the angle at which the first and second angled surfaces of each peripheral magnet are positioned is about 45 degrees. 
     
     
       6. The machine of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils is formed of spiral turns of a single flat strip of electrically conductive material. 
     
     
       7. The machine of claim 4, wherein the plurality of coil housings is configured to capture eddy currents induced therein and to return the captured eddy currents to a power supply of the rotating electromagnetic machine. 
     
     
       8. The machine of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils has a respective winding axis. 
     
     
       9. The machine of claim 8, wherein the respective winding axis of each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils is perpendicular to a central axis of the axle. 
     
     
       10. The machine of claim 8, wherein the respective winding axis of each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils is spaced apart from a central axis of the axle. 
     
     
       11. The machine of claim 4, further comprising:
 at least one bearing set rotationally disposed about the axle, and;   a magnet housing having each of the plurality of magnet sets mounted therein, the magnet housing coupled to the at least one bearing set to allow relative rotation between the magnet housing and the axle.   
     
     
       12. The machine of claim 11, wherein the magnet housing acts as a stator of the rotating electromagnetic machine. 
     
     
       13. The machine of claim 4, wherein the axle acts as a stator of the rotating electromagnetic machine. 
     
     
       14. The machine of claim 4, wherein the plurality of electromagnetic coils are coupled together in an electrically parallel configuration. 
     
     
       15. The machine of claim 4, wherein the first sector magnet, the second sector magnet, and the peripheral magnet of each of the plurality of magnet sets are permanent magnets. 
     
     
       16. The machine of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of coil housings is separated into a plurality of magnetically isolated segments in mutual electrical continuity, whereby hysteresis is minimized. 
     
     
       17. The machine of claim 4, further comprising a fitting being attached to a distal end of the axle and a commutator being attached to a proximal end of the axle. 
     
     
       18. The machine of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils is mounted on a pair of mounting rings mounted to the axle. 
     
     
       19. The machine of claim 18, further comprising:
 the pair of mounting rings;   a common ring mounted to the axle; and   a coil input ring mounted to the axle.   
     
     
       20. The machine of claim 19, wherein the common ring is constructed in two pieces, each of the two pieces of the common ring being independently removable from the axle. 
     
     
       21. The machine of claim 18, further comprising a commutator attached to a first end of the axle, the commutator being electrically coupled to each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils. 
     
     
       22. The machine of claim 21, further comprising:
 a plurality of connecting bars extending generally axially within the axle, each of the plurality of connecting bars aiding in electrically coupling one of the plurality of electromagnetic coils to the commutator; and   a plurality of lateral rods extending in a radial direction, a first end of each of the plurality of lateral rods being coupled to a first end of a respective one of the plurality of connecting bars.   
     
     
       23. The machine of claim 22, wherein a second end of each of the plurality of lateral rods is coupled to the commutator and wherein a second end of each of the plurality of connecting bars is coupled to the coil input ring. 
     
     
       24. The machine of claim 23, wherein a first end of each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils is coupled to the coil input ring to thereby electrically couple each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils to the commutator. 
     
     
       25. The machine of claim 24, wherein a second end of each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils is coupled to the common ring to electrically ground each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils. 
     
     
       26. The machine of claim 4, wherein each respective coil housing is disposed between a respective one of the plurality of electromagnetic coils and a respective one of the plurality of magnet sets. 
     
     
       27. A rotating electromagnetic machine comprising:
 an axle;   a plurality of electromagnetic coils, each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils being mounted on separate coil housings of ferromagnetic material, each of the coil housings being mounted on the axle, each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils having a winding axis tangential to a direction of rotation of the machine;   a plurality of sets of peripheral and sector magnets, the plurality of magnet sets positioned adjacent to the coils, each of the plurality of magnet sets having two of the sector magnets in mutually opposing and facing positions and at least one of the peripheral magnets positioned orthogonal to the sector magnets, each sector magnet of each of the plurality of magnet sets having a front surface facing toward the respective one of the plurality of electromagnetic coils, each peripheral magnet of each of the plurality of magnet sets having (i) a front surface facing toward the respective one of the plurality of electromagnetic coils and perpendicular to the front surface of each sector magnet, (ii) first and second end surfaces, each end surface facing parallel to and opposed to the front surface of one of the sector magnets, and (iii) first and second angled surfaces, each angled surface positioned between and at an angle relative to the front surface and one of the opposing end surfaces, and wherein the plurality of electromagnetic coils and the plurality of magnet sets are engaged for relative rotation between the electromagnetic coils and the magnet sets,   wherein each of the plurality of coil housings is disposed between a respective one of the plurality of electromagnetic coils and a respective one of the plurality of magnet sets, and   wherein a first wedge-shaped portion of each of the plurality of coil housings extends between (i) the front surface of the first sector magnet of the respective one of the plurality of magnet sets, and (ii) the first angled surface of the peripheral magnet, and   wherein a second wedge-shaped portion of each of the plurality of coil housings extends between (i) the front surface of the second sector magnet of the respective one of the plurality of magnet sets, and (ii) the first angled surface of the peripheral magnet.   
     
     
       28. The machine of claim 27, wherein the angle at which the first and second angled surfaces of each peripheral magnet are positioned is about 45 degrees. 
     
     
       29. The machine of claim 27, wherein the plurality of coil housings is configured to capture eddy currents induced therein and to return the captured eddy currents to a power supply of the rotating electromagnetic machine. 
     
     
       30. The machine of claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils has a respective winding axis. 
     
     
       31. The machine of claim 30, wherein the respective winding axis of each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils is perpendicular to a central axis of the axle. 
     
     
       32. The machine of claim 30, wherein the respective winding axis of each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils is spaced apart from a central axis of the axle. 
     
     
       33. The machine of claim 27, further comprising:
 at least one bearing set rotationally disposed about the axle, and;   a magnet housing having each of the plurality of magnet sets mounted therein, the magnet housing coupled to the at least one bearing set to allow relative rotation between the magnet housing and the axle.   
     
     
       34. The machine of claim 33, wherein the magnet housing acts as a stator of the rotating electromagnetic machine. 
     
     
       35. The machine of claim 27, wherein the axle acts as a stator of the rotating electromagnetic machine. 
     
     
       36. The machine of claim 27, wherein the plurality of electromagnetic coils is coupled together in an electrically parallel configuration. 
     
     
       37. The machine of claim 27, wherein the first sector magnet, the second sector magnet, and the peripheral magnet of each the plurality of magnet sets are permanent magnets.